1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to lacrosse sticks, and more particularly, to a lacrosse head having an articulated member from which to suspend a pocket. The lacrosse head can further include a stiffening member attached to the scoop and a sidewall, and a connector for joining the head to a hollow lacrosse stick shaft.
2. Background of the Invention
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional lacrosse stick 100 having a handle 102 shown in dotted lines and a double-wall synthetic head 104. Head 104 comprises a generally V-shaped frame having a juncture 106, sidewalls 108 and 110, a transverse wall (or “scoop”) 112 joining the sidewalls at their ends opposite juncture 106, and a stop member 114 joining sidewalls 108 and 110 at their ends nearest juncture 106. As shown, handle 102 fits into and through juncture 106, and abuts stop member 114. A screw or other fastener placed through opening 107 secures handle 102 to head 104.
For traditionally-strung pockets (which have thongs and string instead of mesh), thongs (not shown) made of leather or synthetic material extend from upper thong holes 116 in transverse wall 112 to lower thong holes 118 in stop member 114. In some designs, such as the design shown in FIG. 1, upper thong holes 116 are located on tabs 117 of the scoop 112. On other designs, upper thong holes 116 are located directly on the scoop 112. FIG. 1 shows four pairs (116, 118) of thong holes that accept four thongs. To complete the pocket web, the thongs have nylon strings threaded around the thongs and string laced through string holes 120 in sidewalls 108 and 110, forming any number of diamonds (crosslacing). Finally, one or more throwing or shooting strings extend transversely between the upper portions of sidewalls 108 and 110, attaching to throwing string holes 124 and a string laced through string holes 122. The typical features of a lacrosse stick are shown generally in Tucker et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,507,495, Crawford et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,984, and Tucker et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,947, which are all incorporated by reference herein.
Of particular relevance to the present invention are rules relating to the height of the sidewalls of the head. In a lacrosse game, these dimensional requirements prevent a player from using a stick that unfairly protects the lacrosse ball within a deeper pocket, such that it is more difficult for opponents to check the ball free. For this reason, men's rules permit a pocket depth of up to 2½ inches, below a sidewall that is up to 2 inches high. According to the traditional test, when looking horizontally at the sidewall of the men's lacrosse stick with a regulation ball inside the pocket, the sidewall must obstruct the view of at least a portion of the ball. The total height of the sidewall and pocket must not exceed 4½ inches. Similarly, women's rules limit the height of the sidewall to 1.8 inches (1⅘ inches or 4.5 cm) at the point of its greatest height, such that the top of a regulation ball placed inside the pocket can be always be seen over the sidewall when looking horizontally at the sidewall.
Several drawbacks are associated with conventional lacrosse head designs, relating to stiff pockets that hinder ball control, areas in the head that are susceptible to deformation, wide distances between sidewalls that make it difficult to keep a ball in the pocket, and means of attaching the head to a shaft that prevent a player from positioning his hand on the shaft close to the head. These drawbacks are discussed below.
In an effort to deepen a pocket as much as possible, some conventional men's lacrosse heads maximize the height of the sidewalls to the upper limit of 2 inches that is mandated by applicable rules. Coupled with the maximum allowed 2½-inch pocket, this sidewall height provides the lacrosse head with the maximum allowed total depth of 4½ inches. Unfortunately, maximizing the height of the traditional monolithic rigid sidewall offers no flexibility to the pocket. The rigid frame of the lacrosse head can make the overall pocket stiff and unforgiving. Indeed, the only flexible component of the conventional men's lacrosse head is the 2½ inches of pocket. A sharp jolt to the stick, as often happens when a player is checked, can cause the stiff pocket to propel the ball out of the lacrosse head. In addition, the rigid frame limits the degree to which the pocket swings during cradling, and therefore the degree to which a ball in the pocket can move under the frame into a position from which it is more difficult to dislodge. Players would therefore prefer a more flexible pocket that better dampens ball movement and widens the arc of the pocket swing to keep a ball in the lacrosse head.
Considering another drawback, on traditional lacrosse heads, at the transition area between the sidewalls and the scoop, the frame decreases in thickness to eliminate unnecessary weight and to provide the contour necessary to form the pocket. In addition to decreasing in thickness, at this transition area, the sidewalls turn and open up to provide the flat surface area of the scoop. This transition area therefore becomes a weak portion of the frame, and is vulnerable to bending, twisting, and breaking. The top of the frame can bend easily at this transition area, in both side-to-side and front-to-back directions. The deformation of the lacrosse head frame is especially noticeable during the rigorous contact encountered while facing off, checking, and scooping up ground balls. To improve ball control, players would therefore prefer a stiffer lacrosse head frame that better resists these frontal and lateral impacts.
As another factor in ball control, players tend to prefer narrower pockets that better restrain a ball within the pocket. Lacrosse stick designers cannot, however, simply shorten the distance between the sidewalls because of commonly accepted rules mandating the overall width of the head. For example, Section 18 of Rule 1-17 of the 2001 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Rules states that “[t]he head of the crosse at its widest point shall measure between 6½ and 10 inches, inside measurement.” Thus, the sidewalls must be at least 6/2 inches apart at their widest point.
To circumvent this rule, some lacrosse head designers have added interior structures to the sidewalls of the lacrosse head frame. One known example is the “Rock” lacrosse head manufactured by Shamrock of Summit, N.J. The “Rock” includes wings that are integral to the sidewalls of the lacrosse head, and are intended to channel a ball to release from the center of the pocket. Another example is the ball retaining ridges described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,066,056 to Morrow. The structures in these examples do not, however, improve the rigidity of the lacrosse head in the transition area between the scoop and sidewalls.
Turning to another drawback of conventional lacrosse heads, as shown in FIG. 1, the traditional means for attaching head 104 to handle or shaft 102 involves sliding shaft 102 into juncture 106 of head 104 and securing head 104 to shaft 102 with a screw or similar fastener placed in opening 107. In effect, juncture 106 serves as a female connection that receives shaft 102. Unfortunately, this configuration requires the distance between stop member 114 and juncture 106 to be relatively long to provide adequate stability between head 104 and shaft 102. Because commonly accepted rules prohibit a player from placing a hand on head 104 while carrying a ball, the long distance between stop member 114 and juncture 106 necessitates a player's holding shaft 102 a significant distance away from the pocket, and therefore from the ball inside the pocket, and from the center of gravity created by the combined mass of the ball and lacrosse head. Players therefore have a diminished feel for the ball in the pocket.
To shorten the distance between stop member 114 and juncture 106, a male plug that fits within the bore of shaft 102 could be used, as suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 5,935,026 to Dill et al. This male plug connection, however, provides a relatively weak attachment because the shaft is held onto the male plug by only the friction fit between the components. A stronger connection that still permits the shorter distance between stop member 114 and juncture 106 would be desirable.